The official NORAD Twitter account confirmed the intercept in a Thursday tweet. KC-135 Stratotankers and E-3 AWACS aircraft assisted in the effort of tracking down and diverting the Russian aircraft, identified as IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft.

F-22 fighters, supported by KC-135 Stratotanker and E-3 AWACS aircraft from the North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted two Russian IL-38 aircraft entering the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone on April 8th, 2020.

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) April 9, 2020

NORAD assessed that the Russian aircraft were intercepted in the Bering Sea, before they could reach the Aleutian Islands which stretch off the Alaskan mainland. The NORAD tweets stated the Russian aircraft were not able to reach U.S. or Canadian airspace.

“COVID-19 or not, NORAD continues actively watching for threats and defending the homelands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.,” said General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, the NORAD Commander.

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) April 9, 2020

- ADVERTISEMENT -

NORAD commander and U.S. Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy said, “COVID-19 or not, NORAD continues actively watching for threats and defending the homelands 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.”

“This is the latest of several occasions in the past month in which we have intercepted Russian aircraft operating near the approaches to our nations. We continue to execute our no-fail homeland defense missions with the same capability and capacity we always bring to the fight.”

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) April 9, 2020

O’Shaughnessy was asked during a Thursday Fox News interview why the Russians would fly their planes so close to U.S. airspace during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He assessed the Russian pilots “wanted to see if we are able to react.”